The National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Celebration (NAIDOC) Week is currently in celebration after being postponed from July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dean and Chief Executive of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, Ken Smith said the postponement was aimed at protecting Indigenous Elders and those in Indigenous communities with chronic health issues from the disastrous impacts of COVID-19.
“ANZSOG recognises the importance of acknowledging Indigenous history and culture, and the importance of incorporating Indigenous knowledge into the work of Government, for the benefit of all Australians and New Zealanders,” Professor Smith said.
“This year’s NAIDOC theme is Always Was, Always Will Be, a recognition that the First Peoples of Australia have occupied and cared for the continent for 65,000 years.”
Professor Smith said NAIDOC Week invited all Australians to acknowledge the long history of Australia and that the nation’s story did not begin with European contact.
He said the first footprints on the Australian continent were those belonging to First Nations peoples, who had maintained ongoing spiritual and cultural connections to the land and sea.
“ANZSOG is working to make Indigenous voices heard by Governments, through the creation of forums where Indigenous people can discuss issues relating to a range of Indigenous issues impacting on the public sector,” he said.
Professor Smith that next February, with financial support from the National Indigenous Australians Agency, ANZSOG would hold its third First Peoples Public Administration Conference.
“For the first time, the conference will be a virtual event, providing greater access for Indigenous communities and Government Agencies from Australia, Aotearoa-New Zealand and across the globe,” Professor Smith said.
